


“Why Are We In Ohio?”

by cdelbridge



Category: johnlock - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:28:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24077503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cdelbridge/pseuds/cdelbridge
Summary: The boys solve a case in the United States.
Relationships: Johnlock
Comments: 20
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

“John!” Sherlock Holmes came into the sitting room to find his husband seated on his side of their partners desk working on his blog. “That was Mycroft. We have a new case! Time is of the essence; we need to pack.” He turned and headed towards their bedroom.

John slowly got to his feet and followed his spouse. Once in the bedroom, he opened the closet, removed two suitcases and put them on the bed. “Where are we going?”, he asked. “And for how long?”

Sherlock was rummaging under the bed so his reply was muffled. “I don’t think I caught that. Where did you say?” John asked again.

Sherlock sat up quickly and replied, “the American Midwest John. Specifically, Ohio.” At John’s baffled expression, he elaborated, “Columbus, it’s the state capital.” He went back to rooting under the bed. 

“I kinda already knew that Sherlock. What’s going on to take us there?” John began pulling out warm weather clothes as well as a few heavier things and piled them on the bed. 

“Kidnapping of some notable sports figure, I didn’t catch which one.” Sherlock evidently had given up finding whatever under the bed and was standing, watching his husband. “John, we probably won’t be there for more than a few days, if that. What’s with all the clothing choices?”

The doctor came out of the closet with an armful of shirts. “You’ve never been there before have you?” His husband grimaced. “The fickle weather gods live in the American Midwest. It’s almost June but it snowed last week. Now it’s hot and humid.” Looking Sherlock up and down, he said, “I wouldn’t plan on taking the Belstaff if I were you.”

The detective just sniffed, “I’ll be perfectly fine.”

John just rolled his eyes and muttered, “the pigheaded arse will get heatstroke!” He added lightweight shirts to their luggage and said in disgust, “why don’t you just take a picture of it? The coat will be with you in spirit.”

“Wouldn’t be the same! I do my best thinking in that coat.” Sherlock called from the sitting room, “Do you want to pack your own laptop or should I do it?”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Welcome aboard everyone. This is flight G-219 direct to Columbus, Ohio. The flight will last approximately eight hours and twenty minutes. It is a balmy 78 degrees Fahrenheit with 82% humidity in Columbus which is 26 degrees Celsius to us. Hope you brought sunblock and water.” The pilot cheerfully went on.

John listened, shook his head and turned to his husband, “told you the coat wasn’t needed but no!” He grinned. “Aren’t you lucky you’re married to a doctor who won’t let you drop from heatstroke?”

“Don’t be ridiculous John.” Sherlock was digging through his carry-on bag as the plane prepared for take-off. “I’ll be just fine.”

“Right.” John dug out his book and neck pillow and made himself comfortable. How could someone so smart be so stupid sometimes! The man needed a keeper!


	2. What Is This Stuff?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys arrive!

After landing, passing through Customs and finding their luggage, our Baker St. boys made their way to the main terminal doors in search of a cab. John was leading the way with his light jacket tossed over his arm and dragging his suitcase. Turning to his spouse, who was still wearing the Belstaff, texting with one hand and dragging his bag with the other, John said casually, "you know, it's pretty hot outside. You really don't need the coat. Why don’t you just carry it?" 

Sherlock ignored him as he pulled even with his husband. "Are we almost to the door John? Do you think my cab hailing expertise will have crossed the pond with us?"

"You won't need it." They had reached the main doors and passed through to get in a line of people waiting for cabs. “See, all the cabs are in a line waiting for fares." When his spouse didn't answer, John turned back to see what the matter was. Sherlock was standing like a statue with his mouth open. "Oh, yeah, the heat. Told you the coat was unnecessary.' The line moved quickly although there was a sheen of sweat on his husband’s face by the time their turn came, and they were on their way.

As they got themselves and their luggage sorted, John saw his husband fan himself discreetly. Rolling his eyes, he said, “common sense, of which you have none, would suggest you remove the coat.”

”I am perfectly fine John.” Sherlock pointed out. “Besides, the air conditioning is set to Arctic. We’ll probably be ice cubes by the time we get there.” He and the cabbie smirked at each other which John didn’t catch.

As the cab pulled into airport traffic, John asked. ”Speaking of which, where are we going?” He leaned back in his seat and gazed out the window. “It’s very green isn’t it?”

”We are staying at a hotel on the main college campus in town. Evidently, it’s huge. The campus, not the hotel.” Sherlock added. “We are looking for one of the football coaches (American football, not soccer!) who seems to have been kidnapped right before a big exhibition game with their chief rival. This other team hasn’t won in years and are a little insane about it. The theory is some overzealous fan thought taking the coach would demoralize the home team and they’d win. I think it’s more inclined to make them more rabid but whatever. We need to find the coach by Saturday morning.”

“That’s insane! I agree, I’d think it would make them even more rabid.” John observed.

The cab driver laughed, “son, you haven’t seen rabid.”


	3. “Are We There Yet?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sherlock (and the cab driver) explain.
> 
> This story refers to the OSU-Michigan football rivalry but not sure if I’d get complaints so I’ll refer to the schools in other ways. You’ll know who they are!
> 
> And while football usually occurs in the Autumn, this is an exception with a special game being played in May. Just roll with it.
> 
> And the mascot is Brutus Buckeye. Look him up! I was on campus one day and rode the elevator with him.

The cab ride wasn’t bad exactly but John was really looking forward to being on solid ground and not moving. He distracted himself by looking out the windows and not noticing how close they came to other cars.

Sherlock was playing with his phone and asking their driver for rivalry explanations. The driver was delighted to help. “See,” he began as he honked his horn and gestured at another driver, “that other team, the team up North as they’re called, have only beaten us once in almost twenty years. It’s not much of a rivalry as they suck.” He changed lanes effortlessly although John held onto the door handle for dear life. “We take the rivalry seriously though. You won’t see a word that begins with an M without that letter being crossed out.” Sherlock rolled his eyes, John grinned.

Taking another ramp in the bewildering array of interstate roads, the cabbie continued, “a few things you need to understand. The school itself has over 60,000 students on campus, I never remember the exact number.”

John broke in, “that’s a city!”

“Wait until you see it! It’s a city within a city. It even used to have its own slums.” He turned off the interstate and worked his way through city streets. Students were everywhere, mostly dressed in red and grey. “The stadium itself holds over 100,000 people.” The cabbie gestured at some students who were moving slowly in front of him. They smiled and yelled “O-H!”. The cabbie rolled down his window and yelled back, “I-O!”

“100,000 people?” John was stunned.

”Did you just spell Ohio with a bunch of half-dressed college students?” Sherlock asked in disbelief.

”Yeah!” The driver laughed heartily. “I always thought it was a good thing Ohio was a short word or these guys would be in trouble after a few beers.” 

The driver made a left and they appeared to be on campus with high rise dormitories and classroom buildings. “Uni didn’t look like this when I went.” John muttered. “What the hell is that?”, he shrieked.

Their cabbie looked around wildly then began laughing. “That’s the school mascot. Hes supposed to be a buckeye, it’s a type of nut.”

“I think he succeeded”, Sherlock stated as he watched a guy in red and grey sweats, tennis shoes and a big nut head, carrying what appeared to be his lunch. The driver honked and yelled, “yeah Brutus!” The nut waved wildly and kept on going.

John sat back and closed his eyes, “we have entered the fucking Twilight Zone.”


	4. We’re Here!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys arrive on campus.

The hotel was right on the edge of campus although John didn’t realize that at the time. He found himself standing before the registration desk while Sherlock checked in, staring at what looked like a large pot leaf engraved in the floor. Even for a college campus that seemed extremely liberated. The clerk handed Sherlock their key cards as well as two campus maps. “What do you think of our buckeyes?”, she asked.

Our good doctor wasn’t sure what she was referring to, “excuse me?”

She smiled and pointed to the spot John had been staring at, “its a buckeye leaf. They grow all over campus although the nuts are poisonous to humans. The team name is, “the Buckeyes”.”

John thanked her for the information as well as the campus maps. Ordinarily he’d have scoffed at needing a map for a college campus but this wasn’t a college campus, it was a college city! He followed his husband to the elevators and pushed the up button before he said, “buckeyes? I thought they were pot leafs!” They waited until they were on the elevator and the doors were closed before they doubled over laughing.

Their room was large and comfortable, decorated with framed pictures of the campus and more buckeye leafs. John just shook his head. “Shower together then go walk around?”, he asked his spouse.

”Yes, I want to check out the stadium before we meet up with the Athletic Department this afternoon.” Sherlock headed towards the bathroom leaving a trail of clothing. John followed with a large smile and a growing erection.

So an hour later, clean and dressed in lighter clothes, they headed out. “Ok, where are we going?” John followed his husband to the elevators.

“We’re meeting up with the athletic department later but I thought we could take a look around. The coach was last seen at the stadium, let’s go look there.” Sherlock was busy texting as he spoke. “I have my campus map.” John waves his as well and they both tucked them in their pockets.

It was bright outside and hot. John tugged his sunglasses out of his pocket and put them on. “Where do you think the stadium is?”, he asked as he looked around.

A student walking past with a t-shirt sporting the school colors and a big letter O looked at him in disbelieve. “The football stadium? The ‘Shoe?” He pointed across the street, “it’s right there.” He threw his skateboard down and took off on it.

”The ‘shoe?” John watched the kid move off then turned to look where he had pointed. “Holy shit! That’s the stadium? I thought it was a hospital or jail or something.”

Sherlock just rolled his eyes, ”John, John, John....”. They stood on the corner and waited for the light to change as they headed to the ‘Shoe.


End file.
